This is the checklist we give every SafariEA traveller heading to Tanzania. It is general information, not medical advice — book a travel-health appointment several weeks before you fly — some vaccines and malaria tablets must be started well before travel.
1. Yellow fever certificate — check your route, not just your passport
Tanzania requires proof of yellow fever vaccination if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk — and that includes airport transits or layovers of more than 12 hours in such a country (CDC). Travelling directly from a country without yellow fever risk, the certificate is not required.
Why this matters for East Africa trips: if you combine Tanzania with a gorilla trek in Uganda or a safari in Kenya first, you may be arriving from a yellow fever risk country. Check the current rule for your exact itinerary with your doctor or the Tanzanian embassy, and carry the yellow card with your passport.
2. Malaria — the biggest health risk on most trips
- Malaria risk exists all year in all areas below 1,800 m — that covers the Serengeti, Tarangire, Zanzibar and the coast (CDC).
- Prescription antimalarial tablets are recommended. Several options exist; some must start before you travel and continue after you return, so let a doctor choose the right one for you.
- Prevent bites: DEET repellent, long sleeves and trousers from dusk, and sleep under a net or in a screened room.
- Any fever within a year of your trip needs urgent medical attention — tell the doctor you were in a malaria area.
3. Vaccines to discuss with your doctor
Be up to date on routine vaccines (including measles/MMR). CDC also recommends hepatitis A and typhoid for most travellers, hepatitis B for most adults under 60, and suggests discussing polio (a booster), cholera and rabies depending on your plans.
4. Animals and water
- Rabies: infected dogs are common in Tanzania. Don't touch dogs, cats or monkeys. If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound with soap and water straight away and get medical care the same day.
- Fresh water: avoid swimming or wading in lakes, ponds and rivers — schistosomiasis (bilharzia) is present. Chlorinated pools and the ocean are fine.
- Drink bottled or treated water.
5. Travel insurance with medical evacuation — not optional
Medical facilities are limited and medicines are often unavailable, and serious cases may need to be flown to Kenya or another country (Smartraveller). Before you book, confirm your policy covers:
- Emergency medical evacuation (air ambulance)
- Every activity you plan — especially trekking to 6,000 m if you are climbing Kilimanjaro
- Trip cancellation and curtailment
6. Emergency numbers
- 112 — police, fire, ambulance and rescue (Smartraveller)
- Save your operator's 24-hour number and your guide's phone in your contacts before you land.
- Report any crime to the police and ask for a written police report (needed for insurance).
7. Getting around safely
- Avoid driving at night — CDC names road crashes as the leading killer of healthy travellers abroad. Good operators schedule long transfers in daylight.
- Avoid motorbike taxis (boda bodas). Use registered taxis, app-based rides or your operator's transfers.
- Don't board ferries or boats that look overloaded or in poor condition.
8. Local laws that catch visitors out
- Single-use plastic bags are banned — including in your luggage. Pack with zip pouches or cloth bags instead.
- Don't photograph military sites, weapons or military personnel.
- If police stop you and ask for a fine, an official fine comes with a formal receipt and a government control number.
- Dress modestly away from beach resorts, especially in Zanzibar and Stone Town: cover shoulders and knees.
- Ask before photographing people, and respect a "no".
Your pre-trip checklist
- Travel-health appointment booked (several weeks before)
- Yellow fever card if your route requires it
- Antimalarials + DEET repellent packed
- Insurance with evacuation cover, policy number saved offline
- 112 and your operator's emergency number saved
- No plastic bags in your luggage
Rules and health advice change. This guide was last checked against the sources below — always confirm with an official source before travel.